What BSF Funds

BSF funds grants that qualify under its mission statement.  

BSF’s mission is to enhance the quality of public education in Bronxville by engaging the support and energies of educators, citizens, parents, students, and alumni.  BSF awards grants for projects that will:

• Strengthen the curriculum by serving as a catalyst for the development and promotion of innovative programs;
• Support additional training for faculty members and enhance the educational resources available to them;
• Provide financial assistance for special school facilities and equipment; and
• Increase the community’s awareness and support for the school.

BSF funds initiatives in the arts, athletics, and all academic disciplines across Bronxville’s Elementary, Middle and High Schools. The BSF Board considers grant proposals for curriculum development and faculty training, new facilities and cutting edge technology and equipment, and health and wellness initiatives. 

When to Apply

Regular Cycle Grants:

BSF’s regular grant cycle begins in January each year. Administrators, faculty, students and parents are encouraged to brainstorm innovative ideas and submit applications by the deadline which is normally at the end of February/beginning of March.

Nearly all of the grants the BSF Board funds go through the “regular cycle” with application decisions rendered in early May and funding becoming available the following school year. This process allows the BSF Board and the school administration to evaluate submitted requests within the context of the entire pool of grant applications.

Off-Cycle Grants:

In very rare cases, a grant proposal will be eligible for “off-cycle” submission and evaluation, meaning that the grant proposal can be submitted, evaluated, voted on, and funded prior to the regular cycle time frame.  Such submissions are limited to those that involve high-value, time-sensitive proposals that cannot wait for the regular cycle (e.g., a grant for an Artificial Intelligence bootcamp to give graduating seniors knowledge of the fundamentals in this quickly developing area of importance) or a proposal that addresses an urgent, substantial problem that could not have been anticipated in the prior grant cycle (e.g., a grant that outfitted Zoom classrooms with large screen monitors, webcams, and microphones for hybrid instruction during the COVID pandemic). Proposals accepted for off-cycle submission will also be of such clear value and priority that it is expected that the BSF Board would have rated them very highly during the regular cycle process.

Designated Fund Grants:

BSF can also approve grants from the following designated funds:

• The Christensen Fund for Elementary School English Language Arts
• The L. Gordon Harriss Fund for History 
• The Jackson Fund for Theater Performing Arts
• The Bob McGrath Fund for Athletics
• The Science Fund
• The Special Education Fund

An applicant can submit a request for a designated fund grant at any time during the school year if funding is available in the particular designated fund.  At that time, a designated fund sub-committee is convened that includes the BSF Executive Director and Grants Shadow, members of the faculty, and a parent with knowledge/experience in the content area. The designated fund sub-committee evaluates and votes on the grant request.  

All regular cycle, off-cycle, and designated fund grants are subject to approval by the Board of Education. 

How To Apply

We ask that you read “What We Fund” and “When to Apply” above.

If you wish to apply for an off-cycle grant or a designated fund grant, please contact bsfoundation@bronxvilleschool.org before you apply.

Please note that an applicant must speak with the appropriate principal and/or members of the administration before submitting a grant application so they are made aware of the proposal and can share any helpful feedback.  In addition, parent and student applicants must have a member of the administration or faculty as a co-applicant on their applications. 

For regular cycle grants, the application portal will reopen in early January 2025 and the final submission deadline for grant applications will be Friday, February 28, 2025. 

Once the portal reopens, the Grant Application Form can be obtained by clicking here.

Please respond to all questions in a concise manner and be as specific as possible.

Please note that the Grant Application Form does not save as you enter the data, however, when you "Submit" you will get a copy of your proposal emailed to you.  You can update from that email under "Edit Submission". Even if your application is not 100% finalized, you are encouraged to “Submit” the grant and revise along the way.

For the Budget Section, please fill out and submit the "Grant Budget Planner."

Please limit documentation to necessary materials and attach in the Grant Application Form where available. After your application has been submitted, a member of the BSF Grants Committee will contact you to clarify any questions. At that time, you will have an opportunity to share any additional materials and/or information before review by the entire BSF Board.

Please submit a separate application for each grant request.

After implementation, please note that a grant recipient will be required to complete a grant assessment form. The grant recipient will be expected to evaluate the grant's success and share any constructive feedback for future related work or projects.

If you have any questions, please contact Helena McSherry (914-395-0515 or hmcsherry@bronxvilleschool.org).